Trunk-locking mechanism



J. STAFFA.

TRUNK LOCKING MECHANISM. APPLICAUON {ILED rB.2o. 1920.

- Patented Jn. 4, 1921.

UNITED STATES JOSEPH STAFFA, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, .ASSIGNOR TO J. V. MEYERING TRUNK COMPANY, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F ILLINOIS.

rn 'isrrrI OFFICE.

TRUNK-LOCKING MECHANISM.

Application led February 20, 1920.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JOSEPH STAFFA, a citizen of the present Government of Czecho- Slovakia, and a resident of Chicago, Cook county, and State of Illinois, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Trunk-Locking Mechanism, of which the following is declared to be a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to trunk locking mechanism and its principal object is to provide mechanism of improved and simplified construction for locking trunks at a plurality of internal points, controlled by a lock located on the outside of the trunk. The invention consists in the several novel features hereinafter fully set forth and claimed.

The invention is clearly illustrated in the accompanying drawing in which Figure 1 is a vertical cross section through a wardrobe trunk. showing in side elevation a simple embodiment of the present invention. Fig. 2 is a vertical section taken on line 2-2 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3 is a horizontal section taken on line 3-3 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 4 is a view similar to Fig 3 but showing the parts in unlocked position.

Referring to said drawing, the reference character 5 designates one section of a wardrobe trunk, and 6 designates the other section. As is usual, the two trunk sections are hinged together along a vertical line, and opposite the hinges is located the locking mechanism. The usual valance 5a is provided on one trunk section and laps over the edge portions of the other section, as is customary.

In the simple embodiment of the trunk locking mechanism shown, 7 designates an upright rod which is rotatively mounted in bearing brackets 8 lsecured to the inner face of the trunk section 6.

On the upper end of the rod 7 is secured a toothed segment 9 which meshes with a toothed segmental member 10 fast on a stud or pin 11 which projects through the wall of the trunk section 6 and is rotatably mounted therein. Upon the outer end of said stud or pin 11 is a lock hasp 12 which has a key-operated lock 13 that may be swung into and locked to a coperating socket member 14, which is fast to the trunk section 5, whereby the two trunk sections may be locked together. Any of the well known lock hasps and socket members may Specification of Letters Patent. Patented JaIL 4, 1921.

Serial No. 360,157.

be employed for locking the trunk sections together, and their construction is common and well known.

At a plurality of points along its length the rod 7 is provided with ecccntrically disposed portions 15 which are shown in the drawings as formed by bending the rod laterally of itself. The bent portions are shown in the nature of cranks which may be swung about the axis of rotation of the rod 7 from the position illustrated in Fig. 4 to and from that illustrated in Fig. 3. The latter figure shows the locked position of the cranks.

Coperating with said eccentric or crank portions 15 are shouldered locking members 16 that are rigidly fastened to the trunk sectionsv 5 and have shouldered portions 17 adapted to extend into the crank section 6 and arranged to be engaged by the eccentric or crank portions 15 of the rod 7. Said locking members 16 may comprise metal strips, and the shouldered portions may be in the nature of right angled bends formed upon said strips, although it is desired not to limit the invention thereto, as other forms of shouldered locking members may be used in place of the particular one illustrated.

In its locked position the lock hasp 12 is in locked engagement with the socket member 14 and the eccentric portions or cranks 15 of the rod 7 are in engagement with the shoulders 17 of the locking members 16, as illustrated in Figs. 1, 2 and 3.

To unlock the locking mechanism the key is inserted in the lock of the hasp 12,and 'turned to unlock the lock, after which the lock hasp is disengaged from the socket member 14 and swung up into the position shown in vertical dotted lines in Fig. 1. The rod 7 is thereby rotated through the instrumentality of the toothed segments 10, 9 and the eccentric or crank portions 15 moved from .the position shown in Fig. 3to that shown in Fig. 4 and as shown in dotted lines in Fig. 1, thereby permitting the shoulders 17 ofthe locking members 16 to pass freely behind the eccentric portions 15, when the two trunk sections are spread apart.

To lock the trunk the two trunk sections are moved together, the shoulders 17 passing behind the eccentric'or crank portions 15 of the rod 7 and the lock hasp 12 is then swung down and brought into locking engagement with the socket member 14. In

case the two sections of the trunk are not in close contact with the lock hasp is swung down, the eccentric or crank portions 15 will engage the shoulders 17 during their movement to their locked position and thereby draw the two trunk sections tightly together.

More or less variation of the exact details of construction is possible without departing from the spirit of this invention; I desire, therefore, not to limit myself to the exact form of the construction shown and described, but intend, in the following claims, to point out all of the invention disclosed herein.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. Trunk locking mechanism for vsecuring together two sections of a trunk, comprising a shouldered locking member secured to one trunk section and adapted to extend into the other trunk section, a rod extending lengthwise in said other section and rotatively mounted therein and having an eccentrically disposed portion arranged to engage the shoulder of said shouldered locking member when turned toward it, and adapted to be disengaged from said shoulder when turned in the opposite direction, a socket member on the trunk section containing the shouldered locking member, a cooperating lock hasp rotatively mounted on the trunk section containing said rod, and operative connections between said lock hasp and rod for turning said rod to engage and disengage it from said shouldered locking member.

2. Trunk locking mechanism for securing together two sections of a trunk, comprising a shouldered locking member secured to one trunk section and adapted to extend into the other trunk section, a rod extending lengthwise in said other section and rotatively mounted therein and having an eccentrically disposed portion arranged to engage the shoulder of said shouldered locking member when turned toward it, and adapted to be disengaged from said shoulder when turned in the opposite direction, a socket member on the trunk section containing the shouldered locking member, a cooperating lock hasp rotatively mounted on the trunk section containing said rod, a toothed segmental member on said rod and a toothed segmental member fixedly connected with said lock hasp and meshing with the toothed segmental member on the rod.

3. Trunk locking mechanism for securing together two sections of a trunk, comprising a shouldered locking member secured to one trunk section and adapted to extend into the other trunk section, a rod extending lengthwise in said other section and rotatively mounted therein and having a laterally bent portion forming a crank arranged to engage the shoulder of said shouldered locking member when turned toward it, and adapted to be disengaged from said shoulder when turned in the opposite direction, a socket member on the trunk section containing the shouldered locking member, a coperating lock hasp rotatively mounted on the trunk section containing said'rod, and operative connections between said lock hasp and rod for turning said rod to engage and disengage it from said shouldered locking member.

4. Trunk locking mechanism for securing together two sections of a trunk comprising a locking member secured to one trunk section and adapted to extend into the other trunk section, said locking member having a transverse projection on its outer end, a rod extending lengthwise of said other section and rotatively mounted therein and having an eccentrically disposed portion arranged to engage the transverse projection of said locking member when turned toward it, and adapted to be disengaged therefrom when turned in the opposite direction, a socket member on the trunk section containing said locking member, a coperating lock hasp rotatively mounted on the trunk section containing said rod, and operative rodrotating means connecting said lock hasp with said rod, whereby the eccentric portion of said rod may be engaged with and be' disengaged from said locking member when the lock hasp is turned.

5. Trunk locking mechanism for securing 100 together two section of a trunk comprising a locking member secured to one trunk section and adapted to extend into the other trunk section, said locking member having a transverse projection on its outer end, a rod 105 extending lengthwise of said other section and rotatively mounted therein and having an eccentrically disposed portion arranged to engage the transverse projection of said locking member when turned toward it, and 110 adapted to be disengaged therefrom when turned in the opposite direction, a socket member on the trunk section containing said locking member, and rod-rotating means comprising a cooperating lock hasp rota- 115 tively mounted on the trunk section containing said rod, a toothed .segmental member mounted on said rod, a toothed segmental member meshing therewith, and a pin fixedly connecting said lock hasp with said sec- 120 ond mentioned toothed segmental member.

JOSEPH STAFFA. 

